Heirs to the Throne
by Shurpuff
Summary: "Hello, Father," she said. "I have returned. Tell Mother."
1. Chapter 1

_Sometime after the revival of the renegade Shalltear..._

Chaos gripped the denizens of Nazarick.

Like ants, they scattered around, unable to grasp the situation. Reports flew unsubstantiated, most of the time rife with falsehoods and blatant assumptions. Duties were left abandoned, each floors shook periodically as if from a massive earthquake-even the mysterious denizens of the eighth floor wondered if Nazarick were about to fall.

Most worrying of all was the Overseer's refusal to remedy the situation. In fact, most didn't even know where Albedo was, nor what had made her abandon her sacred duties in glorious Nazarick.

The immediate answer-the source of all these troubles-if it is to be believed, lay prone on a bed in the 9th floor, watched over anxiously by a cadre of the homonculi maids.

A bewildered Demiurge, frantically recalled from his duties by his servants, stood outside the room. He had a puzzled expression on his face. Some of the other homonculi maids stood outside too, whispering in buzzing noises among themselves.

Singling out one maid, whom his perception found to be the most knowledgeable of the situation, he dragged her to the side.

"Tell me what you know," he said, adding his compulsion aura to his voice. The maid nodded and began to recount the tale:

* * *

The Master and the Overseer were discussing matters of importance in the throne room. It was just after Cocytus had been given his assignment to subjugate the lizardmen tribes.

Then-and the maid wasn't sure about the exact moment it had happened-there came a flash of light. All the guards inside the room, including Ainz-sama and Albedo-sama, instantly went on alert.

A moment later, a young girl now stood at the foot of the throne.

"Assassins, assemble! Protect the master!" Albedo yelled, interposing himself in front of Ainz-sama. The latter was speechless, even his magnificence quenched by this sudden development.

The guards had the small figure pretty much surrounded. The Overseer was quick to demand, "Who dares enter the Supreme One's presence without permission! Speak, or die screaming in the abyss!"

The invader just smiled. She had no eyes for the fearsome Overseer, nor for the guards whose weapons were poised to strike her. If nothing else, she was bold and confident, even in the presence of superior beings.

"Hello father," she told Ainz-sama, "I have returned. Tell mother."

* * *

"Father?" Demiurge cried, choking in surprise, his eyes actually widening. Even his unruffled demeanor was disturbed by this revelation. Just one word implied many things, and changed virtually everything.

Nonetheless, in the next moment, his eyes narrowed, calculating, as he contemplated the closed door where the invader was.

"Pray continue," he said, "And leave no details out."

* * *

A tense silence. The Overseer's expression darkened with every second.

"Such impudence!" Albedo roared, her normally beautiful visage distorted. A potent rage seemed to be simmering around her body, manifesting in a cloying aura that made even the guards pause. "Lies upon lies! How dare you insult the name of the great Ainz-sama!"

But it didn't seem to affect the newcomer. The maid now took a closer look at this intruder: it seemed to be clad in some strange gear, almost like a gaudier, more revealing version of Aura-sama's outfit. Her skin was pale, though sun-tanned. She had long black hair, tied up in a ponytail. A small scar was clearly seen on the bridge of her nose.

"Oi," she said, flashing cold eyes on the livid overseer. "I wasn't talking to you, _bitch_. Go spin your webs somewhere else. Now is the time for me, my father and my mother."

Just before Albedo could shout some more, Ainz-sama cried, "Silence!"

His voice shook the very foundations of the throne room, easily wiping the smirk from the intruder's face. All of them, even the intruder, kneeled before their lord, and begged forgiveness.

"Nn... Umu- Yes, let us put things in order first." He pointed imperiously at his so-called "daughter". "Y-you say you are my get? Then prove it, little one, while my patience endures."

"Of course, father," the girl said readily. She rose, and reached into her pocket. Albedo tensed, as if waiting for an attack, though the Master remained still, as if all such efforts had long been foreseen. And indeed, his foresight was justified, as the girl had merely taken some sort of token from within her pocket, and held it out for the lord to see.

"This is..." One could sense the tension so palpable in those moments. Ainz-sama stared at the object, transfixed, while Albedo and the rest could only wait in silence, fearing to provoke the lord in what seemed to be a momentous event.

"The Sign of Ainz Ooal Gown... but then that means-"

"Indeed," said the girl. Her cocky smile almost spoke to disrespect, were it not for the kindly warmth in her eyes. "The only one of its kind, as you'd said. The very same Sign you gave me, father."

"The Sign is still with me..." the master said to himself. "Then, there can only be one explanation... But tell me, how did you come to arrive here?"

"I traveled back the streams of time, aided by the will of Nazarick itself," said the girl. "And I came to ensure I would be born. That you would choose mother to be your," the girl's eyes shifted quickly to Albedo, "Only. Lawful. Loving. Wife."

The sound of intense grinding could be heard-coming from the Overseer's mouth. The look in her eyes almost made the maid faint.

Ainz-sama cleared his throat. "I see. Who, then, is this mother?"

A hopeful look could be seen on Albedo's face, for a moment.

The girl grinned. "You may know mother as Narberal Gamma, of the Pleiades."

* * *

"And then Albedo-sama..."

"No, never mind that," said Demiurge, halting the maid's discourse. "The rest of the events are plain to see."

Indeed, he had already deduced much of what had happened, based from what he'd observed of the throne room upon his arrival. He'd only needed confirmation about the source of the unrest, directly from someone who had been there.

There had been a great battle in the throne room, leaving scars and marks that might be permanent. A stern reminder of that Overseer's instability, and the arrival of that mysterious "Daughter" of Ainz-sama's.

Demiurge's lip curled into a small smile. Ainz-sama was currently in his own quarters, while Albedo had been personally restrained in confinement by some of his own minions, along with his lord's stern prohibition to stay there until she was summoned.

 _To have held her own against a Guardian_ -indeed there could be none who could claim that but the Master himself. Or, as it turned out, his spawn.

A strange sort of joy bloomed in Demiurge's heart. While the manner of arrival was far from ideal, there seemed to be no question that the girl was the Master's. The Master had claimed her himself.

Indeed, he'd far preferred if the person was a male, who would be capable of spreading his inheritance far better. But a female was fine. Queens were formidable in their own right-one need only look at Albedo to be convinced.

A lot of things to consider now, and a lot of things to revise. This person beyond the door may upset the balance in Nazarick, but Demiurge knew he could twist it to be in his lord's favor. Though his honored daughter had returned only via "time travel", it gave hope that somehow, someday, Ainz-sama could produce an heir that all of Nazarick could come to serve.

And so, he couldn't just let this invader get her way. Yes, Narberal Gamma was powerful, and certainly commendable for being handpicked by the Lord to accompany him in the outside world. But Demiurge could see into his Lord's heart, and could guess his desire to choose his mate freely. He should not be influenced by even his daughter, but should mate of his own free will.

Thinking such thoughts, Demiurge raised a hand to knock.

* * *

A flash of light.

A shrouded figure emerged from the mists. The alarm sounded, cueing the entire dungeon to the appearance of yet another intruder. Hordes of undead, triggered by the trap, came surging from the corridors around it.

"I can smell another one... Tch someone got here first."

The figure raised its weapon.

"Please wait, father. I shall certainly unite you with mother."

* * *

 **Shurpuff says: Just a little side fiction, to regurgitate odd concepts in-between chapters.  
**

 **Anyway, the concept isn't terribly original, but I did my best. Even if it just t** **ook, like, thirty minutes to write.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

Yuri Alpha could hardly believe the news, even if there was little reason for deception among the denizens of Nazarick.

Or more like-there was something quite improbable about the whole affair, even if they'd said that the Master had confirmed it himself. A fruit of his union with someone would have been a celebrated thing, no matter who the Master chose. But Yuri had a clearer head on her shoulders than most, and she well knew how improbable it would be for the Master to engender offspring.

Indeed, the Pleiades had discussed this matter before-mostly with regards to those two Guardians who vied for the ultimate seat at Ainz-sama's side. And though there was still division as to who would "win", there was still that small doubt of the Master producing a suitable heir for Nazarick. Faced with such, each of the Pleiades had opted to put their faith in their Master, and place the matter as out of their reach completely.

"And, from that Narb-chan too," Yuri murmured to herself. She thought about her sister, who was one of the more level-headed of the Pleiades. She could hardly imagine her as the mothering type, which meant that Ainz-sama must have seen deeper into the core of her soul, seeing as he'd chosen her to accompany him to the outside world. And also bore his child in the future.

There was a perplexing need within Yuri to discover more about the strange events, which prompted her slight delegation of her daily duties to Shizu, while she went to the room which had been given to the intruder. There, she found a host of the homonculus maids gossiping among themselves. A few eyes widened and all heads bowed when she approached.

"Do excuse my rudeness," she said, addressing the whole lot. "But is this where I can find-"

 _Clang clang clang_! The alarm instantly made her, and the maids freeze. She looked around, confirming the absence of any enemy nearby. Finding none, she was puzzled. This was the second time in a day that the alarm had sounded-

 _Bang_! Out from the door came a whirling dervish of colorful destruction, who whipped past Yuri with a breathless, "Hey, Obaa-chan! Bye, Obaa-chan!" before sprinting down the corridor. Yuri barely caught the image of a skull on the back of the girl's clothes, which strongly reminded her of Ainz-sama's visage.

"Yet another intruder," said a smooth voice from behind. Demiurge emerged from the door in decidedly less frantic fashion. Yuri and the other maids bowed.

"Demiurge-sama, if it would not be rude to ask," said Yuri, and when the devil Guardian waved, she continued, "But are the rumors true? Was that person..?"

"Yes, I believe she is," Demiurge said. "We were just in the middle of some enlightening discourse about the nature of her 'world'. By this I mean the 'future' from which she hails, where her Mother reigns supreme as our Queen."

Yuri looked troubled. "But Demiurge-sama, surely such a thing could not have come to pass..?"

Demiurge smiled thinly, and shrugged. "Who can say what the Supreme Beings will? Perhaps your sister has already been impregnated right this very moment; she is, after all, the one being among all of Nazarick with the privilege of accompanying our lord. Who can fathom that being's might and powers? Our Lord could have perhaps been testing us, waiting out the time for us to be worthier, before he can unleash his miracle. Even the coming of his so-called daughters."

"Indeed, we are but playthings in his palm," agreed Yuri. "But still, if you could pardon my saying: this situation has a rather bizarre tone to it."

"Well observed, Yuri Alpha," said Demiurge, his tone congratulatory. "And rest assured that we shall be keeping an eye on it and any new developments. Such as this very moment's alarm-what is going on?"

Yuri and the Guardian followed where the strange girl had gone. The path led towards the lower rooms, where the alarm had originated. Already they could hear the distant rumbling din of a loud battle.

The remains of various undead lay everywhere. Arms and armour, broken and damaged, were scattered all over the floor. She almost reached down to start cleaning it up, were her eyes not instantly glued to the vortex of violence occurring towards the center of the area.

One of the combatants she knew: the girl who'd passed by her and called her that ridiculous name. On each of her hands were strange contraptions which she could not identify, although the sounds they made reminded her of Shizu-chan's own weapon. They made a noisome _rat-tat-tat_ that seemed to spew a barrage of thunder and lightning. Smoke rose from where the weapon hit, from the once pristine floor to the very walls of the area.

The small girl wore a fierce, if manic grin. Her eyes tracked her opponent, which, judging by its appearance, was undoubtedly the intruder.

The other girl was considerably taller, with light brown skin, and a long, if messy mane of red hair. It wore an armor of full plate, elaborately forged and decorated. Hiding the upper part of its face was a mask, like a knight's helmet in the shape of the upper half of Ainz-sama's skull-face. It held a long halberd with a beak-shaped blade. Despite the apparent restriction of its armor, the intruder moved with peerless grace and skill, somehow dodging the enemy's attacks with the smoothness of water flowing across a boulder. From the brief glimpses of its face, one could see its smile, though it was not as manic as the other.

It was a dance of death; with one side seemingly unable to gain supremacy. But Yuri couldn't accurately judge-she was witnessing a battle which was far beyond her perception, waged by superior existences. It must have been like when the Master had brought Shalltear Bloodfallen to heel.

"This is not good," Demiurge remarked. "At this rate, they might be able to seriously mar Nazarick, maybe permanently."

Yuri's first instinct, of course, was to attack-this was expected of every creature here. To remove an intruder in the most expedient way. Yet she hesitated. Was it because she knew it would be a hopeless battle?

It couldn't be. Everyone would be proud to die for Nazarick. Or was it because one of them was the lord's...? Or because it was Narbe-chan's...?

Demiurge had already seemed poised to intervene, even as other lower servants came to reinforce the fallen defense. But before they could leap to intervene, there came into the room a crash like thunder echoing across the plains.

And there stood the Master, in all his undead glory.

Yuri joined the others in falling immediately to their knees. It was such an automatic response that Yuri immediately tried to stand, knowing there was still an intruder about. But then, it didn't seem to matter.

Both of the combatants had kneeled as well, each facing Ainz-sama. With an imperious sweep of his arm, he slammed the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown on the ground and demanded, in a voice that would brook no falsehood, no defiance, "What is the meaning of this? And who are you, intruder, to come into the Great Tomb of Nazarick, unannounced, and uninvited?"

"Waha... oops. I mean, yes, Father! I have come to reinforce mother's claim to the throne! Long have I traveled through the skeins of time, to arrive in this place, at the cusp of your kingdom's birth! I present to you, as proof of my heritage, the Sign of Ainz Ooal Gown, which is the only one of its kind throughout the world, throughout time!"

The words were spoken in a loud, echoing voice, as if coming from someone used to commanding great armies. Beside her, Yuri sensed Demiurge make a gasping sort of sound, though she didn't look to glance at him.

The other girl, the first one, glared at the other, and was about to say something when Ainz-sama said, "I see. Another one. Yes, now there are three of the Signs now. Very good. Umu. You have proven yourself. Then, whose are you?"

"Yes! I am Honored to be Queen Lupusregina Beta's, kind father!" A pin seemed to drop in the silence that followed. Yuri's eyes widened behind her glasses.

" _Ahn_? That bitch? Hah, only in a reality like yours could that little _failure_ catch my father's eye!" said the small girl.

"Great father, may I purge this shitstain from the face of the universe? I promise to be back before dinnertime!" cried the armored girl.

"Enough!" Ainz-sama said, forestalling yet another brewing fight. "I am busy at the moment, and I've no time for such petty figh-er, squi- _squabbles_. If you wish to fight, then take it outside. I shall have no one, not even you, damage the sanctity of Nazarick any further!"

"Yes father!"

"You heard him, let's take it outside, pardner!"

"After you, little miss bitch!"

The two "daughters" leaped up and went rushing down the nearby door. They ran side by side, but true to their word, they didn't attack each other. Yet.

"Yuri Alpha."

"Yes!" In her incredulous state of mind, she almost squeaked in reply, too distracted by the twin bombshells she had just heard. "What is your wish?"

"Clean this place up, would you please? I must apologize deeply for this. I know how hard you guys work for Nazarick."

"No, no, it is our pleasure and our duty, Ainz-sama."

"I cannot help but feel responsible, you know? They are my 'daughters', after all. Making such a mess..." The Master shook his head.

"And Demiurge, have those two watched, if you could? We are still to remain hidden, so ensure those two don't leave within a five-mile radius of the Tomb. But...hn, you still had another task, yes? Delegate your previous task for now. Those two are the top priority at the moment."

"...With great pleasure, Ainz-sama."

* * *

Enri looked up. There. It wasn't her imagination then. There was a great rumbling sound, like a continuous hail of thunder, coming from the direction of the forest.

She knew she didn't have any reason to feel fear, but she did. The village had only just begun rebuilding, even having new inhabitants like Enfi and his mother coming over. And somehow the sound reminded her of that dreadful time.

"Enri-chan!"

"Kyaa!" Her shoulders jumping up comically, she glanced towards the side, where she saw the mysterious Lupusregina Beta-san leaning against the village wall. As always, she had a playful expression on her beautiful face, though was it her imagination or was there a hint of apprehension in her eyes?

"L-lupusregina-san... S-so you were there..."

"Enri-chan, I think you guys should lock yourselves inside the houses-suu~"

The abrupt statement surprised Enri. "Eh? But why?"

"Or you might get squished-suu~ Oh, but won't that be a sight to behold, yessum-but even Lupus-chan's kind of nervous, so it must be a pretty big thing..."

"What are you talking about?"

The mysterious woman smiled, opening her mouth to say something before her body suddenly stiffened, her head swiveling to the right like a dog alerted to a sudden noise.

Enri heard a strange sound, as if something were flying through the air-

"Mistress, get down!" shouted a goblin at her side, after which she felt herself knocked to the ground, bumping her head painfully. The next second, there was a great impact, the ground now shaking as if in the throes of a quake. She felt rocks and stones and other things blow past and on her body, though somehow she was shielded by the goblin in front of her.

Coughing, she stood, waving her hands in front of her. Nothing seemed broken, but her senses were telling her to leave. Right this instant.

There was a big suit of armor on the ground, looking like a mishmashed pile of steel junk. After a moment, it stirred, and when it rose fully from the ground she could see its imposing form. Enri gasped when she saw the skull-faced mask. Then, Lupusregina whistled. The sound caught the iron giant's attention.

"Wahaha, that was fun... Oh, hi mom!"

"...What."

* * *

An implosion of arcane energies stirred up the treasury. The faithful servant looked up from its work. The resulting winds from the convocation of energies scattered the various treasures all around.

"Ah, _scheisse!_ " the servant muttered, watching a good day's work undone. Then it saw the figure that had suddenly appeared. "Hm?"

It was a blonde girl, clad in purple rubes ornamented by a variety of glowing runes. The glowing blue image of a five-pronged star floated behind its head. It held a book and quill. On the former was a skull that looked just like the servant's creator. The girl, stirred, catching the servant's eye.

"Ah, good day, _mein bruder_. If I remember correctly, yes... this is the treasury. What a fortuitous arrival!" The girl scrawled something on the book. "Now, for the appropriate translocation of the elder sign... trace the auguries like so... aha, the defenses are still active! Then, this must mean-"

The girl disappeared with a small, restrained pop. Pandora's Actor stared at the spot on the floor where the girl had been.

He scratched his egghead.

* * *

 **Shurpuff says: And another one. This is getting kind of fun.  
**


	3. Chapter 3

"Come, mother. It is not safe here. There is a battle, and I shall not have that bitch get you," announced the iron giant in a booming voice.

The giant made to touch Lupusregina, but she shied away, like she was dodging a lesser human's lecherous advances. "Hey, whoa whoa whoa. Let's not get ahead of ourselves... suu. Who's a mother, or more to the point, who are you?"

"Wahaha! I am your daughter, my good mother! I have returned here to ensure my birth is as foretold, not as any other fate might dictate! Let us away!"

And with a force of will irresistible, the giant grabbed the protesting maid by the waist and hauled her over its shoulder. Surprisingly, Lupusregina could not free herself from the giant's grasp, no matter how much she struggled, kicked, punched, or bit.

"Wait wait wait! Please! Why're we mixing up the order? I may be 'experienced' with stuff, but I'm still a pure maiden! I haven't even had a first kiss yet! Hey, put me down, you!"

Totally ignoring the maid's protests, the giant caught sight of the frightened human with the goblin beside her. "Ah, greetings, General Enri! I shall endeavor to see you later! Perhaps we can share some more of that goblin grog later, eh? Wahaha!"

And with that, the giant sprinted into the forest, her speed belying her mass, and the maid she carried. Lupusregina's screams echoed for a long time.

* * *

The assignment here at E-Rantel was boring, though it wasn't like she disliked it. This was a necessary duty imposed on her by the Supreme Being, whose might and intellect were vaster than anyone's. That included the puny humans inhabiting this city, separate or combined.

Still, it wasn't like she was completely alone. Periodic reports from Nazarick came, and after checking to make sure there was no one eavesdropping, she'd also give her own status report, ostensibly in her role as the "Beautiful Princess" Nabe. In addition, no lower life form ever came up to the room to bother her (or Momon-sama, more likely), so that was a bonus.

As her sister would say, "It's a job".

It was time. She used the [Rabbit Ears], then accepted the [Message] that came through.

"Yes, Albedo-sama, it is I, Narberal Gamma." She frowned, when she didn't recognize the presence on the other side of the spell.

"It's me, Narberal," said the voice of her sister, Yuri Alpha.

"Ah, sister. I'm sorry for not recognizing you," she said. "What has happened to Albedo-sama?"

"She is... indisposed. Much has happened in Nazarick this past hour, sister. For the moment, I shall be receiving your reports."

"What's going on?" asked Narberal, confused.

"... It's a long story. It all began when-actually, it seems this might have to wait. My apologies, sister. There seems to be another-"

"Another? Sister?" But the [Message] had already ended.

* * *

"Wahaha! Here you go, mother! Please take care, and don't get caught in the battle!"

Like a limp doll, Lupusregina Beta was heaved onto the ground. She coughed up earth and leaves. "Hey, explain what's going on, you stupid brat!" she cried, rubbing dirt from her eyes. But the iron giant was already leaping away.

"Shit," she muttered, rubbing her head, her eyes narrowed. "That guy was lucky I'm in a good mood-" Then she realized who was standing right behind her.

"M-my apologies, Demiurge-sama. Mare-sama." She stood hastily, bowing as deep as she can to the two figures.

"H-hello..." said the Sixth Floor Guardian.

"A good day, Lupusregina," Demiurge said smoothly. "You were properly introduced to your daughter, I take it?" Lupusregina blinked.

"Haaah? My daughter? M-my apologies, Demiurge-sama, but are you okay? Did you eat something bad?"

Too above reacting to such blatant disrespect (and knowing that it was just the Creators' will that made her that way), the sharply dressed demon said, "Yes. Yours and Ainz-sama's."

"Ainz-sama's!?"

"This comes from Ainz-sama himself. Apparently, that lovely young lady is one of... two who can claim to be the children of our lord. They have come from some unfathomable future through unknown means."

The maid's jaw dropped. She looked from Demiurge, to Mare, to the guards standing right behind them. None of them reacted, or gave away anything other than their usual expression.

"I-it surprised me too," Mare said sheepishly. "But, if it is Ainz-sama's word, then I fully believe it."

"A-Ainz-sama said it?" Lupusregina rubbed her chin, still trying to wrap her head around the notion. "If that is so, then I-I guess I can accept..." To the NPCs of Nazarick, who were all loyal to the Supreme Beings, their words were more than sacrosanct law: they decreed reality itself, like the will of the gods.

And yet Lupusregina still held some doubts. "A-and she's... mine? And Ainz-sama's...?" _How could that happen_ , was the unspoken word.

Demiurge shrugged, his eyes on the flashes of battle in the forest before him. "I have not yet ascertained an answer. As I have only just been assigned to observe their actions, I could not begin my interrogation-or, well, that might be too much. A conversation, then. Perhaps later, Ainz-sama may ask the methods from those girls."

"E-ehhh, and no matter what I say or how I look, Lupus-chan's definitely still a virgin you know?" she said, rubbing her flushed cheeks. "Still, it is an honor to be chosen by Ainz-sama... ah, but would that make me a virgin mother... ahaha..."

"Only those two have the knowledge for potentially overcoming our current difficulties. We must know what kind of methods their mothers in the future used!"

"U-um, sorry," Mare stuttered. "But what are these 'methods'?"

"The methods for creating a child," said Demiurge.

Mare's eyes lit up. "I-I see! And how does that normally happen?"

A long, tense moment followed, the silence only interrupted by the occasional sound of thunder from the battle before them. Mare looked between Demiurge and Lupusregina, his eyes confused.

"Ah, it appears I must relocate," Demiurge announced smoothly, taking one step forward. "They seem to have moved somewhere."

A hand grabbed the sleeve of his coat.

"E-ehhh, where are you going, Demiurge-sama? I must escort you!" said Lupusregina, a fake smile plastered firmly to her face.

Demiurge gently shook himself free. He adjusted his suit. "No, no, this assignment was given to me by Ainz-sama himself. I must move to a better vantage point to better observe his daughters."

A light bulb seemed to activate above the maid's head. "Ah, then I'll go back to Carne Village then... That is my assignment..." Then, before she could leap away, a small hand grabbed her by her arm. The hand belonged to a determined-looking Mare.

"P-please tell me, Lupusregina," said the small, girlish boy. When Lupusregina next saw, Demiurge-sama was already a hundred feet away, escorted by his guards. She growled deep in her throat, but could not free herself from the Guardian's iron grip. She stared into eyes glittering with a strange kind of determination.

"I need to know," Mare insisted. "How may one create a child with Ainz-sama?"

* * *

Frankly speaking, this was getting ridiculous.

Yet another one of the so-called spawns from the future had arrived. She had been personally escorted by Yuri to Ainz-sama's chambers. The Master confirmed their claim, after which they were shooed away, Ainz ordering Yuri to "keep this one occupied".

Thankfully, the robe-wearing blonde was fairly well-mannered and polite. She answered questions readily, and behaved herself around the other denizens, who were naturally wary around the intruder. Faced with little other recourse, Yuri opted to invite her to tea.

"Ahhh, this does bring me back, Auntie!" Yuri's eyebrow twitched, but she let it be. The girl sipped the proffered tea, and made a satisfied expression. "This taste is very nostalgic."

The more Yuri observed of the girl, the more she could see the resemblance. Or something. Surely Solution Epsilon had never smiled as genuinely as this one had, especially with something as mundane as tea.

"Mmm... is this cake?" the girl poked at the food on her plate with her knife.

"Yes... is it not to your liking?"

"Oh, I'm sure it is very delicious," the girl said brightly. "But I am feeling _quite_ famished. It was quite a journey across the veined, unspeakable body of the Kind One to reach this point on the lesser axes."

"Oh." Yuri suddenly had a stark, sinking feeling. "May I inquire as to your preference?" she asked, hesitantly.

The blonde blushed. "Erm... Ehehe, would there perhaps be a veteran adventurer on the menu? Ah, a newbie could be fine, but they'd dissolve too easily."

Yuri hung her head. _Of course._

"You truly are her daughter," she said.

"Eh? Oh, Auntie, how kind of you to say that!" the blonde said, hiding her smile coyly behind her hand.

She only hoped this one would be the last of the "daughters".

* * *

"Was it really an emergency?" asked the Sous chef. He inclined his bulbous head to the floor, where Eklair Ecklare Eclayer had just waddled in, breathless.

In between pants and gasps, the penguin said, "Yes... But there have been no orders to mobilize... Only to clean. And clean we did, but the rumors I have heard have been greatly disconcerting."

"Oh?" The bartender put down the glass he'd been polishing. He glanced towards the other NPC nearby, head still slumped against the bar.

"Aye. It seems there have been new claimants to the Throne. Arriving, as if by magic, it is said."

"Claimants? How could that be, unless..."

The penguin sniffed. "No matter who it is, they shall still have to contend with I, Eklair Ecklare Eclayer. And... well, please give me something to wet my beak first. I exerted much cleaning and running back here. Then, we can talk more of what I have uncovered." As the penguin waddled onto the barstool, his eye caught sight of someone slumped against the lounge chairs towards the far corner of the room.

On first glance, it looked like the figure of a young woman. Pale-skinned, hair jet black but bleached, lifeless. A strange object, looking like some sort of stringed instrument, was laid across its lap. A small skull, looking like a miniature version of the Master's face, adorned its tip. There was an overall ethereal quality to the stranger, like the image of a moon on the surface of a lake. It was the same feeling when looking at certain undead like Shalltear-sama's vampire brides, or Yuri Alpha of the Pleiades. The woman appeared to be dozing.

His eyebrows rose; he was sure he hadn't seen this one before. "Hey, master, who is that? I've never seen that young lady before," the penguin whispered.

"Ah, she's a new guest-san. Just arrived. For the price of a drink, she wowed us... well, myself and Shalltear-sama over there, with a very stirring love song. As you can see, the results..." the Sous-chef gestured to the quietly sobbing Shalltear, tears literally puddling near her face. "I admit, I too was quite taken. It made me forget that she- that she- hm... I seem to be forgetting something." The Sous-chef cocked his head, confused.

"What veritable skill!" the penguin exclaimed. "Mayhap this worthy siren can sing for me, as well?"

Before the Sous-chef could answer, Shalltear leaped up, wailing something incomprehensible. She banged her hand on the bar. Anyone knowing her strength would have expected it to fold-but the thing was crafted by the Supreme Beings themselves.

But it _was_ loud, which ended up waking the stranger slumped in her chair.

"Encore, encore!" Shalltear shouted. "Another of that soothing ballad for this wounded heart! Please, Beetoven-sama, shower us yet again with your heavenly chimes!"

The woman rubbed her forehead. Her voice was low and husky, like someone who was perpetually sleepy. "Seriously...? Well, alright... It's uh... actually, I've got some new lyrics for the thing, maybe...? I... uh... don't remember... But yeah, the tune should be the same... gimme a sec..." She cleared her throat loudly. She then did a strumming motion on her instrument. The tune instantly sent a shiver down the penguin's spine. It was like anticipating some cataclysmic wave of destruction, when could only watch helplessly before being consumed.

The first tune became many, and soon, a rhythm began to form. Eklair began to sway in his seat, his drink and his thirst momentarily forgotten as the woman began to sing. Her voice was scratchy, but melodic, each sung word spearing the penguin's body with bone-chilling spears.

 _"Boys... and their toys... nude love.. on a shore distant... I left my heart... in a can o' worms... and when I saw ye... in that instant..._ er- _in that instant... this cold chest... this dead heart... besotted, like fools..._ and uh... shit, wrong chord... _besotted... like a vampire! With no fangs! On a moonless night... life all 'round... helpless, mad... screaming... I seek ya..."_

The trio sat or stood, listening in silence, as the stranger continued to sing, time slipping by like sand.

* * *

 **Shurpuff says: Even more!**

 **Also, in response to what I think to be a misunderstanding, this technically isn't a "harem". At least, I didn't intend it to be. As I've tried to convey, these "children" are all from different places and backgrounds.  
**

 **You want a true harem? Hang on, lemme just dig up this smut I wrote...**

 **P.S. This is kind of a small issue, but I've noticed not a lot of enthusiasm/feedback for either of the stories I've posted. Especially when I take a glance at other works... It's not bad, just kind of disheartening. Anyway, I say this because nothing makes the pimp hand git on writing than cash, or accolades. And I get zero on the former, not a lot in the latter.  
**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

"It's best to keep them separate."

Yuri Alpha did not need the Master's curt decree to do exactly that. Having studied the blonde magic caster for all of fifteen minutes, she carefully foisted her off to a few minions to have them lead a tour of Nazarick. Thankfully, the blonde was all too willing to be led away without explanation.

Then, Yuri had to attend personally to the new(est) arrival - a disheveled undead wielding a magical instrument - who had somehow been inside Nazarick for the past hour. She had gone undetected for so long because of her peculiar abilities, not the least of which was performing a long [Charm] effect on the Sous-chef and Shalltear Bloodfallen.

She was less surprised about the idea of a powerful undead like Shalltear-sama being subjected to mind-affecting status at all, than by the fact that when the girl saw her arrive, she'd instantly yelped, and then sank deep into the chair, as if she were wishing to dissolve within its depths. It was like the girl was afraid of her or something.

After the servants brought the ailing Sous-chef, penguin and Shalltear-sama out of the bar area, Yuri stood before the quailing girl and put her hands on her hips.

After a while, the girl emerged, though she studiously tried to avoid her eyes.

"Sorry... mum..." the girl mumbled.

Yuri took a deep breath, and sighed.

* * *

Shouts of "They're attacking!" and "Zaryusu!" from the gate instantly made Zaryusu Shasa tense. Sharing a worried look with Crusch Lulu and his brother, Shasryu, they went to meet the outriders, who proceeded to give them a grim recount.

It seemed that the enemy had begun their assault sooner than was promised. A great force had arrived near the Razor Tail village. The scouts reported that the whole area had been "annihilated", as if a giant had arrived and stomped its great feet onto the village. Fortunately, most of its inhabitants had already been relocated in preparation for the grand defense, so there had been no casualties.

But then, they had been tracking the enemy, and had determined that it was heading in their general direction.

"A giant?" wondered Zaryusu aloud. Most of their preparations had been against an army of undead or similar beings, not against an actual giant. In his travels, he'd heard tales of giants, but had never seen one himself.

"Perhaps it's a Frost Giant," said Crusch anxiously. "They are said to live at the peaks of the Azerlissia Mountains to the north."

"To think they have subjugated something like that!" Zenberu, chieftain of the Dragon Tusk, exclaimed. "So they weren't joking when they said they intended to wipe us all out."

According to old lore, giants were existences that could go toe to toe with small armies, or even dragons.

When worried murmurs spread through the bystanders, Zaryusu shouted. "Do not give in to fear! Not yet! Let us look to our defenses first, and anticipate this 'giant' when it comes!"

But later, after the preliminary adjustments were made to their preparations, Zaryusu met with the other tribe chieftains to discuss the matter of the women and children. "For if the enemy can field 'giants' to be their footsoldiers, then this may be the end of our race." They debated for a long time.

* * *

Demiurge stirred from the sight of the seemingly endless battle, sensing a [Message] arrive. "Cocytus, is it?" he said. Doing a quick mental check, he knew the time for Cocytus assault hadn't yet begun. "How may I help you?"

"Has. There. Been. News. From. Ainz-sama? Has. He. Changed. His. Mind?"

"I am not aware," said the devil. "But why do you say that?"

"A. Development. Has. Occured. A. Giant. Has. Attacked. The. Lizardmen."

An eyebrow rose. "A giant, you say?"

"It. is. Less. A. Giant. It. Is. Titanic. Larger. Than. A. Hill. We. Are. Watching."

"That is certainly troubling," said Demiurge. Such an irregularity would definitely have to be reported to Ainz-sama, considering the Supreme One's will to annihilate the lizardmen himself. Normally, he would be enraged that such an outsider would dare to meddle in the affairs of a Supreme Being.

But, being gifted of a superior intellect, Demiurge made an educated guess, based on the data that had appeared this past hour. Three, going on four, "daughters" had appeared, and it would make sense for there to be a fifth.

"Tell me, Cocytus. Is it hostile?" he asked.

"We. Have. Not. Tried. To. Contact. But. The. Lizardmen. Are. Doing. Their. Best."

"If it is what I think it is, then it should be friendly to us. This is my advice: send an emissary to this giant. Inform them of the whereabouts of your camp, and of Ainz-sama's determination to destroy the lizardmen himself. Should it listen, then I assure you that it is an ally. Otherwise-"

* * *

A metallic fist, knuckles as large as boulders, crashed into the ground. The resulting shockwave knocked the second advance backward, scattering lizardmen and their weapons to the wind.

"Keep moving!" Zaryusu roared, raising Frost Pain to the air. "Third team, advance!" Beside him, the various magic casters bolstered the soldiers of the next wave and healed the wounded. They no longer cast attacking spells-it had been seen from the start that the thing was immune to such attacks.

Based on suppositions, Zaryusu had intended to bait the enemy into several pitfall traps, which would keep it still long enough for the more agile troops of the army to leap up and assault the enemy's weak point.

But the enemy had no weak point.

More than that, they hadn't been able to bait it at all. The giant had been walking, the lizardmen had engaged with an ambush, and then the giant had just stomped its feet and driven them back.

It was both disheartening and infuriating that the giant never made any move to advance. It was either that the giant could not, for some reason, despite its overwhelming power; or it was merely amusing itself by playing with the lives of the lizardmen. Whichever the case, Zaryusu had to think fast-their armies were woefully exposed to a flanking maneuver, which had made him stretch their front-lines thin posting outriders to cover. If an unseen attack were to break through, there would not be enough to defend their vulnerable underbelly.

He steeled his heart, and prayed to the ancestors for a miracle.

* * *

Through the [Mirror of Remote Viewing], Cocytus, Aura and the others observed the emissary approaching the giant. Even this mindless summon seemed to hesitate as it came upon the giant's form, which bristled with awesome violence and power.

From afar, it looked like a golden statue of a centaur, with four legs and a pair of muscular arms. But the skin had a more bronze sheen, and up close it looked like an armor for a gigantic centaurian species, headless and animated by some strange design.

When the emissary got to within speaking distance, it began to broadcast its message from Cocytus. The giant turned, causing a brief earthquake which sent the nearby lizardmen to their knees. Then something emerged from a fissure within the giant's chest area-it was a small, red orb, floating in the air to meet the emissary.

"Greetings, good sir," announced the orb. It was a booming voice, hollow and echoing. Cocytus observed that there was a skull within the orb, metallic gray in color. "There seems to have been a slight error in my coordinates. Would you be able to point me the way to the Great Tomb of Nazarick?"

* * *

When the giant left, a few of the more impulsive youths threw their spears as far as they could after it, and joined the others in the victory howls. Even Zaryusu was caught up in the jubilation-by some strange miracle the giant had been turned away, and without any casualties on their side.

"Victory to the Tribes!" he roared, gaining a second wave of approving howls.

Still, there yet remained a faint doubt. Zaryusu quietly ordered the leaders to fall back, tend to the wounded, but remain ever vigilant. There was no telling if there would be another attack, or that the giant would not return.

"Perhaps we may need to leave the lake, after all," Crusch Lulu observed sadly, once the victorious army had begun to scatter back into their camps. Troubled by the sad look in her eyes, Zaryusu grunted. He pointed to a few of the scouts and gave them new orders.

* * *

"Demiurge. Ainz-sama. Has. A. Daughter?"

Demiurge's smile widened when he caught the hidden excitement behind the insect-warrior's tone. "Ah, so it was another one? And a giant? Intriguing."

"No. Inside. Was. A. Little. Girl. She. Speaks. Through. Ainz-sama's. Fascimile. We. Must. Inform. The. Master!"

"Do hold on, my friend," said Demiurge. "I shall relay the news. The Master is already aware of his daughters; I feel it is high time for me to reveal that. That one was not the first to appear." He glanced at the battle, which continued to rage. It had already cleared a wide radius in the forest, with fallen trees scattered all around.

"Daughters? How. Delightful! A. Dream. Come. True. Demiurge. This. Needs. Celebration."

"Not yet, my friend," said Demiurge. He glanced at the sky, where he imaged the face of Ainz-sama smiling down benevolently. "I have a feeling this day is far from over. In any case, Ainz-sama's orders still remain. You are to continue preparing for the attack on the lizardmen. And, as for Aura-"

* * *

A lone maid stood on the knoll, the unmoving eyes on its doll-like face observing the giant.

A few moments passed.

"... That's big."

Shrugging to itself, the maid walked away, its attention already spent. It tilted its head when it saw Cocytus and Aura jumping up and down excitedly in the distance.

 _...What the heck were they doing?_

* * *

Within the deepest parts of Nazarick, Ainz Ooal Gown appeared, the Guild Staff glowing ominous in his hand.

He looked at the nearest bowing maid. For a second, he wondered why its cheeks were flushed or why her eyes were watery.

"Send word to Albedo. Bring her to me.

"And let all of Nazarick return within-let them gather within the Throne Room. Their duties are to be briefly suspended. Yes... we must restore order, and bring those troublesome 'daughters' of mine to heel."

* * *

 **Shurpuff says: And another one.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

Interlude - scene of massacre

The Capital of the Re-estize Kingdom.

Blood ran in shallow rivers in the halls of its King.

"It's just one person!" shouted a guard. A team of them, noble knights sworn to the service of the King, raised their shields and readied their spears. A few stared, unnerved, at the mutilated corpses of their fellows on the floor; and at the attacker, lithe bodied, clad in a yellow robe, expression hidden behind a cowl. "We don't need to wait for that peasant Gazef. Charge!"

Uttering a fierce battle cry, the knights trudged forward. Behind them, a caster began to wind up a bolstering spell.

Then, the enemy ran-no, _leaped_ forward-its body sailing over them all. He landed in between them and the caster. Steel flashed, and the caster's neck erupted in a fountain of red. She fell, mouth uttering noiseless words, choking on a useless spell.

In that moment, they all heard a snicker. They caught sight of white teeth bared like a wild beast beneath the cowl.

"[Black Spike]."

The enemy clapped its hand once. Then a rumbling filled the chamber. Then, each guard, without exception, felt pain blossom in their chest. They looked down, and saw something impossible-spikes had inexplicably appeared from the red floor, sharp and brutal. When darkness claimed them, their bodies hung limp, impaled on these dread appendages. Blood dripped down the black spikes, joining the cloying mass on the ground.

The yellow robed intruder considered their bodies for a while before a sudden clatter of noise arrived from behind. A new set of guards had arrived, newly roused to repel any intruder into the King's private sanctum.

The intruder grinned. It twirled a small, curved dagger on its finger. It charged forward, with the surety of a pouncing tiger.

More blood flowed.

* * *

Gazef had been summoned by a harried messenger. He wasted no time, donning half of the treasures of the Kingdom granted to him by his Lord. The other half were presently with some noble from the Noble's Faction, who'd convinced the King of the "dangers" of letting too much power percolate in one place. Too easily stolen, they claimed. Or abused by the ambitious.

Still, Gazef was loyal to his King. And when the news was this dire, he had no time to dwell on such thoughts.

By way of the side barracks, he made his way up the palace. A horde of knights and common soldiery met him on the way, which he then split up to search the area. Without anymore intel, Gazef now banked on defending the upper areas personally while putting the whole place on lockdown.

He could smell the iron stench of blood. It was faint, but it was there, and was not normally in this place, the very heart of the Kingdom. He quickly consulted the King, bidding him flee by the hidden passages. If he wanted to curry favor with the man, he'd have staked his life on vowing protecting him by himself without making the King lose face; but he was pragmatic, and valued his lord more.

Besides, were he to fall here, then nothing stood in the way of the intruder and the King.

 _Is it an assassin from the Empire?_ the guards wondered. An assassin audacious enough for a full-blown assault was a mad one. Not even the greatest of Ijaniya would have dared-certainly not in this open manner.

The King's Audience Chamber, where he held court at day, was hastily transformed into a defensive field. Magic casters quickly overlaid the area with bolstering seals and enchantments, while archers and other skilled bowmen hid themselves behind barricades.

There came a rumbling from the great doors leading to the Chamber. Gazef and his men steeled themselves, as the hinges began to creak and wobble.

 _Bang!_ The doors fell, blasted off its hinges as if from some explosive spell. Within the smoke, Gazef spied the intruders. His eyes widened when he saw it was only one.

[Sense Weakness]. Gazef cast that martial art. He sighed-it was a nearly impossible task. [Sense Possibility] also gave him the same prediction. By himself, a thankless task-but with his comrades, he could bring it down.

As if sensing his mood, the archers fired in quick volleys, each flying for the one space where the intruder stood. Gazef half-expected it to duck behind the wall, but the enemy stood its ground.

But a blue mist shimmered around the enemy. All the arrows launched seemed to veer off target, as if hit by a sudden, strong wind. They clattered useless around the figure.

After a moment, the figure took a step.

"Halt!" Gazef shouted. "You are entering the domain of His Royal Majesty, King Lanposa III! Surrender now, lay down your arms, or face a swift death!"

The figure knelt down, and picked up something. When it stood, it made a swift motion with its hand.

A second later, there came a gasp, then a gurgling sound from one of the barricades. Gazef turned to look-an arrow was now lodged in the poor man's throat.

"Damn!" Cursing himself for the distraction, Gazef looked back at the door. The figure had disappeared. He looked wildly around, then spotted its yellow form flying high above near the ceiling.

"[Field of Oil]." said a voice.

After a flash, a thick, pungent smell filled Gazef's nose. He looked down, and saw some strange substance on the ground. It pooled around his boots, seemingly doing nothing-but Gazef wasted no time barking to the caster behind him.

It was just in time.

Just as his body felt faint from the effects of a hurried [Flight] spell, the intruder said, "[Fireball]". Then the whole chamber exploded in a sea of angry flames.

Gazef clawed against a nearby pillar, watching as those who were too late, or were dripping in the strange substance caught fire immediately. Agonized screams filled the room as the fire devoured their makeshift barricades and the people who weren't caught within the [Flight]. Gazef felt a wave of revulsion just hearing their cries, even as he glared hatefully at the flying enemy.

"Oh, I'm sorry," said a voice, though it didn't sound apologetic in the least. "What a mess. Silly me. I'll get rid of the fire in a jiffy. [Maximize: Force Wave]."

A strong invisible force slammed into Gazef, pinning him against the pillar. He felt it jar against his body, making his armor vibrate, even peeling off some of the leather on his gear. He heard a loud, crashing rumble, before he finally fell unconscious from the strain.

He woke, groggy, his body burning with pain. His back felt like it had been liquefied and had fire poured down his spine. He tasted bitter blood in his mouth. He raised his eyes to the ceiling-but there was no ceiling. There was the clear night sky, the moon floating silent above. Gazef gripped the hilt of his sword and rolled on his back, gritting his teeth. He gasped.

Where before there had been a hellish forest of flames, now there remained a scene of much ruin. The walls, the ceiling, the door, had disappeared. The pillars stuck out like broken teeth, rubble lay on the ruined throne. There was no sign of the fire, or any of his men, save for the signs of charred carpet and stone. A wind blew softly around.

Groaning, he got to his feet. It felt surreal, like a dream. That any could hold such power as to sweep a building like this away like a child playing with a sand-castle-was it the age of heroes once more? He recalled Ainz Ooal Gown, that mysterious magic caster who had defeated the Sunlight Scripture.

He heard a soft clump of boots hitting the ground behind him. Then the voice said, "As expected of a genius warrior. You alone survive, where your fellows have failed. Bravo." The figure came into his sight, clapping its hands lazily.

Gazef steadied his shaky feet. He felt some pain down there, as if something had been broken. Nonetheless, he steeled himself, and raised his sword.

"Oho~ To the last, you fight. Barely holding on to your hitpoints, as long as your duty is kept. Pah!" The figure spat. It brandished a small, curved dagger. "That kind of behavior makes me sick the most. I gotta say, Gazef Stronoff, I'll never tire of killing you. It's just so satisfying tossing some guy like you into the mud."

"Who... are you...?" said Gazef, in-between pained gasps.

The person giggled. "You don't need to know. Pretty soon this world's gonna go up in smoke. It's my personal vendetta, you see? Any time-line without mom's not something that'll survive a week of me getting here. Whether it's that annoying dragon all up in Eryuentia, or daddy-o himself in his tomb. They all going up, yo. And here I'm starting with you."

A flash of steel-so quick it was obviously superhuman in speed-but Gazef still raised his weapon and caught it. The force behind the dagger was strong, though, and sent a painful shiver up his arm. Gazef took a breath and swung, meeting the enemy's shallow cuts with his blade.

Within the moments when blade met blade, the enemy said, "Hah! Where's your secret technique, boss? Not gonna use it?"

Gazef gritted his teeth, ignoring the mockery. His arms weren't in the best condition for that. Then, the figure disappeared, before Gazef felt his feet swept out from under him.

He landed on his back with a pained grunt. He made to stand, but the enemy loomed above, slamming its feet down on his chest. For such a light-looking figure, there was a lot of power in its body. Gazef couldn't even stand.

The enemy laughed in his face. "Boring, boring, boring! Like I said, I got no patience with weakling wannabes like you, Gazef-baby. So lie down there nice and snug, and let me do my frigging job, huh?" The foot lifted up and stomped once. Gazef felt his ribs break from the impact. He coughed; a sudden surge of blood had come right up his throat.

Through bleary eyes he watched the dagger raised high, its edge catching the moonlight. "I ain't a bad guy, but somehow I get..." the enemy hummed.

Gazef closed his eyes, resigned to his doom.

"The fuck?" said his would-be killer.

The pressure from his chest disappeared, accompanied by the sound of steel hitting steel. Gazef's eyes fluttered open.

There was a white-clad figure standing before the yellow-robed intruder. It had a red cape, and plate armor that shone like silver. Under its cape were some things that looked like black wings. It held a katana in one hand, which was bizarrely longer than anything he'd seen before.

Their voices were audible, but unclear, as if coming through a long tunnel.

"What the shit-who the _fuck_ are you?"

"... I overheard your talk. So you enjoy destroying whole worlds, huh? Well, here I am-a Conqueror who enjoys _defending_ worlds. You and me, fiend. Takemikazuchi Mk.8 shall drink deep of your blood."

The intruder's cowl had fallen, revealing a black skull mask covering a blond-haired face. The red eyes visible through the slit glittered in rage.

Another clash-their figures moved and danced like flies scrambling over food. Even Gazef, a born warrior, found it difficult to keep track. They moved at such superhuman speeds, that they may be even greater than the heroes.

There was a sound of steel shattering. The enemy fell back, cursing, its weapon broken. The silver warrior grunted, sounding satisfied.

"Shit! Take this, [Fireball]!"

A flash of silver-and the katana neatly dispelled the incoming spell like it was just an errant ember on the wind. Gazef now could clearly see the person-the man's face. It was a handsome, cleanshaven face, pale, its golden eyes glittering with unearthly light. Somehow, the horns on its head didn't seem unnatural at all.

"Listen, whelp," the silver warrior said. "I was the Conqueror, once. I have never met any who was my equal. Not there, in my home, nor through all those worlds I passed. And you don't even rate my top tens."

The skull-masked one only snickered. "Smug ass fucker. Alright, let's play. Let's see how you handle _this_!"

* * *

 **Shurpuff: Here's a fight scene I preserved from _Godsfall_ drafts. I felt it didn't fit its original position, so I just fixed it up, and brought it here. Kinda short, but it's an interlude.**

 **Thanks for reading.**


End file.
